Heritage listings

The parade ground and drill hall were listed on the South Australian Heritage Register on 11 June 1998.^[1]

Its significance was reported as follows:^[1]

The Torrens Training Depot was built in 1936 and is an excellent example of the Inter-War Stripped Classical style of architecture in Adelaide, particularly as interpreted by architects working for the Commonwealth Government. The strictly symmetrical design of the building and its low scale with simplified classical motifs and Art Deco decorative elements make this one of the most notable buildings in Adelaide of this style to be constructed pre World War Two. The internal arrangement of the building typifies the functional organisation of the Army and its physical requirements. All external detailing which is original to the 1936 building is significant. Internally the open unrestricted form of the drill hall is the most significant aspect. The topography of the Parade Ground indicates the previous use of this area as a quarry for stone and fill for the construction of government buildings, including Government House. [Adapted from Torrens Training Depot Conservation Plan (1992)]

In 1999, it was listed on the now-defunct Register of the National Estate^[2]

21st century upgrades

In 2002 Premier Mike Rann announced and funded a major restoration and upgrade of the Torrens Parade Ground and its heritage listed "Drill Hall and Training Depot" building, to be used as a headquarters for veterans' organisations,^[3] and the main office of the History Trust of South Australia.^[4]

In 2021, the government announced that there would be a significant development; the grounds would be ripped up and gardens would be put in its place.^[5]

The Drill Hall underwent a major upgrade which was scheduled for completion at the end of January 2023.^[6]